-- THE SUBJECTIVITY OF ORDINARY POLES, NOT SALON EXCITEMENT - PAWEŁ SZEFERNAKER IN WSZYSTKO, CO NAJWAŻNIEJSZE: “This is the direction for the daily governance of the presidential administration and a filter for decisions. It means that the President places the subjectivity of ordinary Poles at the center of politics, not the excitement of salons or superficial modernity.”

-- I AM THINKING OF ALL THOSE POLES WHO OFTEN ARE NOT INTERESTED IN POLITICS ON A DAILY BASIS, WHO LIVE OUTSIDE THE LARGEST CENTERS - SZEFERNAKER CONTINUES: “From the perspective of the presidential administration, it is clearly visible that the durability of the state and the efficiency of its institutions depend not only on constitutional procedures, which, by the way, have been notoriously violated by those in power for two years, but above all on whether state processes respond to the real needs of Poles. I am thinking of all those Poles who often are not interested in politics on a daily basis, who live outside the largest urban centers, and who, while struggling with their problems, hope that those who make important state decisions keep in mind the life that ordinary Poles live.”

-- IN THE CAMPAIGN, THE HEADQUARTERS DID NOT FOCUS ON HOW THINGS WOULD BE INTERPRETED BY COMMENTATORS FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF WARSAW TELEVISION STUDIOS; TODAY, SALON INTERPRETATIONS OF PRESIDENTIAL DECISIONS ARE NOT IMPORTANT, BUT THEIR IMPACT ON DAILY LIFE IS - SZEFERNAKER CONTINUES: “Just as in the campaign the headquarters did not focus on how subsequent postulates and proposals would be interpreted by experts invited to the media and commenting from the perspective of Warsaw television or radio studios, but consistently sought channels for direct contact with Poles, so today salon interpretations of presidential decisions are not important, but their impact on the daily lives of citizens is.”

-- A VETO IS NOT A GESTURE OF POLITICAL CONFRONTATION, BUT A SHIELD PROTECTING THE INTERESTS OF POLES FROM BAD SOLUTIONS - SZEFERNAKER CONTINUES: “One of the tools that makes this choice real today is the presidential veto. It is not a gesture of political confrontation, but a shield protecting the interests of Poles from bad solutions. The pressure of presidential vetoes, moreover, fulfills its role – it forces an improvement in the quality of prepared law. Four already vetoed laws have been changed by the government in such a way that they have been signed by the president. The right of veto is not a brake, but a safety mechanism.”

-- PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS ARE PARALYZED BY A POLICY OF PUNISHING OFFICIALS FOR DECISIONS MADE AND BY THE GRADUAL LOSS OF CONTACT WITH REALITY DUE TO FEAR OF THE REACTION OF THE SALONS - SZEFERNAKER WRITES FURTHER: “The experiences of the last two years of Donald Tusk's government indicate that public institutions are paralyzed by a policy of punishing officials for decisions made and by the gradual loss of contact with reality due to fear of the reaction of the salons. Real governance is replaced by abstract strategies, an overemphasis on language over action, and the belief that a well-formulated narrative is enough to solve real problems. A symbol of such policy is the announcement of a change in the name of CPK without any specifics regarding its implementation. If after two years, the Prime Minister's primary achievement on the most important infrastructure project is to present a new logo and name, it is a sign of a bankruptcy of effectiveness. Some power centers of the current government are simply vegetating, waiting for some change of power, because they are people already convinced that this sick system cannot be reformed. All this leads to a state that appears efficient but is actually ineffective. The consequences of these mistakes will be invisible to those in power for a long time, but they are painfully felt by citizens.”
https://wszystkoconajwazniejsze.pl/pawel-szefernaker-panstwo-polskie-od-zaplecza-refleksje-na-poczatek-nowego-roku/

-- NAWROCKI'S PUSHING HIMSELF FORWARD CAN EASILY BE JUSTIFIED AS SELF-DEFENSE BY ONE SIDE OF THE SCENE - PIOTR ZAREMBA IN INTERIA: “No coalition would want to govern feeling the constant hot breath of its main opponent on its neck. But this could have been predicted. Nawrocki, moreover, has two serious arguments. The current coalition, and in reality Tusk, has decided (decided) on an open policy not of defeating, but of destroying the right-wing opposition. In this situation, Nawrocki's pushing himself forward can easily be justified as self-defense by one side of the scene.”

-- IF THE STAKES WERE SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC PROJECTS IMPORTANT FOR POLES. MEANWHILE, THEY ARE THE SUBJECT OF CLASHES MOST RARELY, BECAUSE THIS GOVERNMENT'S AGENDA PREFERS POLITICAL OR IDEOLOGICAL BRAWLS - ZAREMBA CONTINUES IN INTERIA: “This leads to the second argument: it would be easier for the coalition to fight presidential vetoes, even for the soul of the nation, if the stakes were social and economic projects important for Poles. Meanwhile, they are the subject of clashes most rarely, because this government's agenda prefers political or ideological brawls.”

-- TUSK'S BET ON A WEAKENING EUROPEAN UNION MAY NOT NECESSARILY PROVE TO BE A PATH TO REAL SECURITY FOR POLAND - ZAREMBA CONTINUES: “A bet on a weakening European Union may not necessarily prove to be a path to real security for Poland. It is possible that it is only a method of forcing Poles to agree to EU centralization. And does it guarantee us effectiveness in confrontation with Russia, let alone China?”

-- NAWROCKI'S POLICY OF ENDORSING EVERYTHING TRUMP WANTS MAY PROVE MORE RISKY IN THE EYES OF POLES - ZAREMBA FURTHER IN INTERIA: “The head of the presidential chancellery, Zbigniew Bogucki, squirmed in the Polsat studio to avoid taking any position on the issue of Greenland. Just as Nawrocki might burn out on too many vetoes, transforming from a super-reviewer into a grumbler, his policy of endorsing everything Trump wants may prove even more risky in the eyes of Poles. Unless the attitudes of Poles change to his aid: already anti-Ukrainian today, tomorrow perhaps dismissive of the Russian threat.”
https://wydarzenia.interia.pl/felietony/news-tusk-z-nawrockim-przed-kluczowym-spotkaniem-dwie-taktyki-i-d,nId,22506221

-- KACZYŃSKI REJECTED THE CONCEPT OF THE SO-CALLED 'MAŚLARKI' GROUP - AGATA KONDZIŃSKA IN GW: “In this way, he rejected the concept of the so-called 'maślarki' group, who argue that the world is becoming right-wing, and Poland increasingly conservative, and therefore propose to move towards where Mentzen's Confederation and Braun's Crown are today. At the same time, Kaczyński did not fully support the direction indicated by Morawiecki's supporters, who argue that PiS's place is in the center. He invoked the analogy of a big tent that can accommodate everyone.”

-- AT THE CLUB MEETING, A WILL TO MOVE FORWARD WAS FELT. ATTENDANCE IS A GOOD MEASURE OF MOODS, AND THERE WERE OVER 200 PEOPLE. THAT'S VERY HIGH - KONDZIŃSKA QUOTES A PIS POLITICIAN: “- At the club meeting, a will to move forward was felt. Attendance is a good measure of moods, and there were over 200 people. That's very high, especially since the away session of the club was organized not during Sejm debates, but the day before – recounts one of the PiS MPs.”
https://wyborcza.pl/7,75398,32517313,kaczynski-szuka-najlepszego-kandydata-na-premiera-z-pis-doswiadczony.html

-- NAWROCKI, WHO FEW PEOPLE ACTUALLY KNEW, WAS SEEN BY VOTERS AS A MAN INDEPENDENTLY MAKING DECISIONS AND CREATING A CHANCE FOR A DIFFERENT WAY OF DOING POLITICS - BOGUSŁAW SONIK IN CONVERSATION WITH ELIZA OLCZYK IN RZ: “Focusing on the annihilation of Law and Justice by all means pushed many matters important to Poles out of the mainstream of interest. The withdrawal of funding for PiS meant hampering the election campaign. I thought it went too far, and that's why I supported Karol Nawrocki in the presidential elections. Nawrocki won because he was consistent, unlike the wavering, self-contradictory, and campaign-weary Rafał Trzaskowski. That's why Nawrocki, whom few people actually knew, was seen by voters as a man independently making decisions and creating a chance for a different way of doing politics.”

-- THE NARRATIVE OF A WELL-FUNCTIONING GOVERNMENT IS AT LEAST DEBATABLE, BECAUSE GOVERNMENT ACTIONS RESEMBLE A NEW EDITION OF THE 'WARM WATER FROM THE TAP' POLICY - SONIK CONTINUES WITH OLCZYK IN RZ: “Against Nawrocki, a type of narrative is used as was once used against President Lech Kaczyński – every stumble is used to ridicule him and create an image of an incompetent person who throws a spanner into the works of a well-functioning government mechanism. The only thing is, the narrative of a well-functioning government is at least debatable, because government actions resemble a new edition of the 'warm water from the tap' policy, meaning managing current affairs without excessive commitment in any direction.”

-- SUCH A REGULATION WOULD STRENGTHEN THE POSITION OF WOMEN, WHO ARE DEVOID OF ANY PROTECTION IN FULLY INFORMAL RELATIONSHIPS. I WOULD NOT DRAMATIZE THIS MATTER - SONIK FURTHER IN RZ: “Awareness is changing in Poland. It is difficult to close our eyes to reality and deny people conveniences in their daily lives. Besides, most partnership unions in the West are now entered into by heterosexual couples, and it may be similar in Poland, if only because such a regulation would strengthen the position of women, who are devoid of any protection in fully informal relationships. I would not dramatize this matter.”

-- THE SLOGANS THEY PROMOTE ARE MEANT TO LAST A MONTH OR TWO, AND THEN ANOTHER PROMISE CAN BE MADE, SOMETIMES THE OPPOSITE OF THE PREVIOUS ONE - SAYS SONIK TO ELIZA OLCZYK: “The slogans they promote are meant to last a month or two, and then another promise can be made, sometimes the opposite of the previous one. And how has PO's stance on the wall at the Polish-Belarusian border evolved? Tusk mocked that the electric current still needed to be connected to this barrier, as that's all PiS was missing, and now he boasts about reinforcing the same barrier. The CPK project was criticized as unnecessary and megalomaniacal. Now they are changing the name of CPK to 'Port Polska.' Can you imagine a more megalomaniacal name?”

-- FOLLOWING TRENDS THAT ARE CIRCULATING IN EUROPE AND ADAPTING TO THEM. AND FOCUSING ON ANNIHILATING THE OPPONENT BY CREATING AN IMAGE OF THE OPPOSITION THAT MAKES IT IMPOSSIBLE TO ACCEPT - SONIK FURTHER: “A party that once achieved success in returning to power through a tactical approach to politics will have no intention of returning to any other tracks. The only thing it will do is follow trends that are circulating in Europe and adapt to them. And it will focus on annihilating the opponent by creating an image of the opposition that makes it impossible for Poles to accept.”
https://www.rp.pl/plus-minus/art43606021-boguslaw-sonik-grzegorz-braun-to-dla-donalda-tuska-idealny-straszak

-- ATTEMPTING TO WIN OVER VOTERS FROM THE FAR RIGHT WOULD MEAN THAT THE RIGHT-WING TREND PREVAILING IN POLAND WILL INTENSIFY EVEN FURTHER - KATARZYNA SKRZYDŁOWSKA-KALUKIN IN KULTURA LIBERALNA: “This trend is dangerous, not only for civil rights but also for international relations, especially those related to Poland's security. The necessity of politically outmaneuvering chauvinists, religious radicals, who are hostile to the European Union but not hostile to Russia, requires two decisive moves to choose from. Either to distance oneself from them and propose an opposite policy. Or attempts to win over their voters. The latter solution would mean that the right-wing trend prevailing in Poland will intensify even further.”
https://kulturaliberalna.pl/2026/01/09/czy-partie-ubiora-sie-w-korony/

-- BIRTHDAYS: Janina Kraus, Jan Polkowski, Grzegorz Wysocki, Jan Zaborowski, Jan Ordyński, Jarosław Pucek. SUNDAY: Bogdan Borusewicz turns 77, Lidia Gądek, Piotr Borys, Jacek Kurczewski (turns 83), Witold Gintowt-Dziewałtowski, Piotr Grzymowicz.